Take control of the power in your home. You don't have to rely on your utility company to provide electricity. Read more
About this project
What is the EnergyBridge?
The EnergyBridge give you access to solar power and backup energy in one seamless package. Chances are you are interested in adding solar power to your home. Simply adding solar panels does not give you backup energy. All of that changes with the EnergyBridge. It keeps solar power working for you; no matter what the weather. It works in two ways; the EnergyBridge connects solar power to your home, offsetting your power bill and saving you money. The EnergyBridge also makes solar power available for backup power when you need it most.
This device manages solar, battery, and the power company in one unit. You get the benefit of energy savings every day and the peace of mind by having reliable backup power. When it comes to affordability and features there is simply no other product on the market that comes close to the EnergyBridge.
What makes the EnergyBridge so different?
This system plugs directly into a power outlet and uses solar power to offset your home's energy use. During a power outage the EnergyBridge automatically takes over to provide steady power to your critical appliances. This gives you continuous access to power in any situation.
Specifications for the EnergyBridge are listed for our recently certified DIY PV inverter. This is because the PV inverter is the core to the EnergyBridge making it a true solar-power system as well as a backup system.
Hurricane Sandy wiped out power in several states along east coast. It left 8.5 million people without power for nearly two weeks. We designed this system to power the most important appliances (refrigerator, sump pumps, computer, etc.) in your home during a power outage. While the sun is shining, the EnergyBridge collects and stores enough energy to run these appliances all day and all night. Once the sun comes out again the cycle starts over again and charges up the batteries. The system perpetually charges itself and provides power indefinitely. Unlike expensive gas generators, there are no harmful fumes and you will never need to add any type of fuel.
Why we need your help.
We are committed to making quality products. The Underwriters Laboratory or UL certification is a process that verifies that the unit is safe and conforms to UL 1741 - the standard for exporting power to the grid. This certification verifies that the inverter (which converts solar power to outlet power) is safe to connect to the grid, delivers high quality power and runs as advertised. It also verifies that the unit can withstand tremendous amounts of stress (e.g. lightning strikes) and complies with FCC regulations.
Because of the extensive nature of testing, it can become a costly process. We are estimating this process will cost $40,000-50,000. Because we have certified a grid-tie only inverter, we have the experience to expedite the process. We have already overcome the "rookie" mistakes that come with certification. We also know how much it costs and how to overcome setbacks.
We're asking that through this campaign, you will fund our testing process. We're confident that with certification, this will create a safe DIY system that gives you an unbeatable combination of solar power: grid-tie with instant backup.
Risks and challenges
In development of any hardware, there are always unexpected challenges.
Even though we are experienced with UL1741 certification, the certification process is often times filled with unexpected setbacks. The process will run us through a gauntlet of tests to prove that the unit is safe for consumers to use. Any failures will cost significant amounts of time and money that we have not planned for. From our previous certification our team has shown remarkable dedication in getting through the process. Whether it is staying late or changing our budget, we found a way to get it done. We will surely put the same amount of effort in this certification process.
Many small businesses would love to produce their products at high volume, but simply don't have the capabilities. That is not the case with Athena Energy. We have a dedicated manufacturer who already produces our grid-tie only unit. Should the need arise, we do not foresee a problem producing a large number of the EnergyBridge units.
Learn about accountability on KickstarterFAQ
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A full system shipment to Honolulu can cost between $300 - $600 for UPS freight. I would recommend you go with the BYOB and BYOS option. Then you will get the basic EnergyBridge...buy some inexpensive batteries locally and use just about any solar panel you can find for a full system. We will provide all the instructions you need to make it work.
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There are several incentives:
1) federal incentives include a 30% tax credit on solar power systems.
2) state incentives are available ranging from cash payments, property tax credits, and rebates.
3) SREC credits: these are more complex but involve the sale of energy credits with a brokerage.
4) Our system saves up to $200/year in electricity (depending on average daily sun) -
An excellent resource is http://www.dsireusa.org/
If you want to estimate performance you can use: http://rredc.nrel.gov/solar/calculators/pvwatts/version1/
Our regular DIY system can process 1000AC watts (1250 DC input)
Energy bridge can process 700W solar while managing batteries. -
there are lots of size choices..we are going to get a consensus from our supporters and hopefully pick a size that everyone will love. Right now we use USA manufactured 225W DC-rated SHARP solar panels but many others exist: Typical dimensions would include Qty (4) solar panels for our 48V full power system. Length 1,640mm (64.6in) Width 992mm (39.1in) Depth 40mm (1.6in) Weight 19kg (41.9lb) The AC output will peak at 650W going to power company. This is close to the PVWatts prediction of 78% conversion efficiency!
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Our price does not include installation because of the way it is designed. EnergyBridge is designed for ease of installation. We send you a system that can be plugged into a wall outlet. It is your responsibility to install the solar panels and bring the wires into your home. This can be as easy as mounting the panels on a deck facing south, a pergola for shade, or a roof-top. There are some excellent systems including http://www.dynoraxx.com/ one of the most innovative systems out there for solar panel installations on flat or pitched roofs. Any electrician can install EnergyBridge because it features LOW-voltage solar, therefore special training in solar installations is not necessary for this system. Our documentation is also required to be certified for accuracy and clarity per NEC and UL specifications. Your installer will appreciate the effort we put into the installation manual!
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Regarding battery capacity...The energy bridge will ship with 2400WHr of battery capacity. This is enough to power a modern full kitchen-sized fridge (energy-star models only) overnight. Additional batteries can be tied in series. We will provide a pack of Qty(4) 50Ahr 12V batteries with the standard EnergyBridge system.
Your backup will grow with your battery choice....if you bring your own batteries your backup time is unlimited if you go with 100AHr batteries. Dont forget...peak output power is 1200W so choose your critical loads carefully....we tested a Samsung 21 cu. ft. fridge and a 1/3 hp sump pump on EnergyBridge.
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EnergyBridge accomplishes the mission of backup power using its integrated grid-transfer switch. You just plug it in and forget about the system! The transfer switch is also intelligent. It automatically provides switching with no user intervention and communicates AC grid status to the inverter.
When a power outage affects power in your home, EnergyBridge senses it, disconnects from your home power and connects the items you have plugged into the "Always ON" outlet back on. In this way you have backup power from this outlet. When the AC power comes back and all the lights come back on, Energybridge automatically ceases to provide backup power and waits for the sun to come out. When it does, the solar power will start making you money again by charging the batteries and then pushing this excess solar power back to the power company.
Rewards
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Pledge $1 or more
18 backers
Your name will be listed on the backers page of our website. Thank you for your support!
Your name will be listed on the backers page of our website. Thank you for your support!
Estimated delivery: -
Pledge $50 or more
11 backers
Flexible Solar Charging Pad-- As our way of saying thank you, you will receive an Athena Energy solar charging pad. Put this cool gadget in a sunny place (like the dashboard of your car) and charge all of your electronic goodies. It has an output of 5V, 1.5W in a convenient USB port.
Flexible Solar Charging Pad-- As our way of saying thank you, you will receive an Athena Energy solar charging pad. Put this cool gadget in a sunny place (like the dashboard of your car) and charge all of your electronic goodies. It has an output of 5V, 1.5W in a convenient USB port.
Estimated delivery:Only ships to: United States -
Pledge $70 or more
7 backers
Flexible Solar Charging Pad with battery bank-- At this level you will receive an Athena Energy solar charging pad and a 2600 mAh battery pack. You can harvest the power of the sun and store it in a battery pack to use at night!
Flexible Solar Charging Pad with battery bank-- At this level you will receive an Athena Energy solar charging pad and a 2600 mAh battery pack. You can harvest the power of the sun and store it in a battery pack to use at night!
Estimated delivery:Only ships to: United States -
Pledge $100 or more
3 backers
Flexible Solar Charging Pad, battery bank, and LED lamp-- At this level you will receive an Athena Energy solar charging pad, a 2600 mAh battery pack, and a bright LED lamp. You can harvest the power of the sun during the day, and have hours of light at night. This would be perfect for camping!
Flexible Solar Charging Pad, battery bank, and LED lamp-- At this level you will receive an Athena Energy solar charging pad, a 2600 mAh battery pack, and a bright LED lamp. You can harvest the power of the sun during the day, and have hours of light at night. This would be perfect for camping!
Estimated delivery:Only ships to: United States -
Pledge $440 or more
0 backers Limited (100 left of 100)
Support EnergyBridge with a very special lighting system. An original design created for my friend's homes based on a four-year battery reliability study. This is a reliable and bright 7W CFL 12VDC all-weather system will create 6-8hrs of night-time lighting year round, an easier way to support EnergyBridge!
Support EnergyBridge with a very special lighting system. An original design created for my friend's homes based on a four-year battery reliability study. This is a reliable and bright 7W CFL 12VDC all-weather system will create 6-8hrs of night-time lighting year round, an easier way to support EnergyBridge!
Estimated delivery:Only ships to: United States -
Pledge $800 or more
0 backers
DIY Grid-Tie only Inverter--
This is what started it all. Our first UL certified low-voltage grid-tie inverter is available to backers at this level. This system is different than the EnergyBridge because it lacks automatic transfer functions and batteries. With your own solar panels you will still be able to sell solar power back to the grid, saving you money every day.http://www.athenaenergycorp.com/products-page/product-category/solar-inverter/
DIY Grid-Tie only Inverter--
This is what started it all. Our first UL certified low-voltage grid-tie inverter is available to backers at this level. This system is different than the EnergyBridge because it lacks automatic transfer functions and batteries. With your own solar panels you will still be able to sell solar power back to the grid, saving you money every day.http://www.athenaenergycorp.com/products-page/product-category/solar-inverter/
Estimated delivery:Only ships to: United States -
Pledge $950 or more
0 backers
The EnergyBridge "bare-bones" kit-- This kit includes the bare minimum to get you started with your DIY grid-tie/backup. You will only receive a UL Certified EnergyBridge Inverter and transfer switch. You will need to provide your own batteries, solar panels,and some wiring.
The EnergyBridge "bare-bones" kit-- This kit includes the bare minimum to get you started with your DIY grid-tie/backup. You will only receive a UL Certified EnergyBridge Inverter and transfer switch. You will need to provide your own batteries, solar panels,and some wiring.
Estimated delivery:Only ships to: United States -
Pledge $1,900 or more
1 backer
BYOB -- Bring your own batteries. You will receive a UL Certified EnergyBridge Inverter, transfer switch, 900W of solar panel, enclosure,and wiring. This option is great if you want to save some money by providing your own batteries. You will need at least two 12 Volt deep cycle marine batteries found at any auto repair or warehouse store.
BYOB -- Bring your own batteries. You will receive a UL Certified EnergyBridge Inverter, transfer switch, 900W of solar panel, enclosure,and wiring. This option is great if you want to save some money by providing your own batteries. You will need at least two 12 Volt deep cycle marine batteries found at any auto repair or warehouse store.
Estimated delivery:Only ships to: United States -
Pledge $1,950 or more
10 backers All gone!
Early Bird Special!
Get the EnergyBridge at the early bird price. This kit includes everything you need to take control of the power in your home. You will receive a UL Certified EnergyBridge Inverter, transfer switch, two 12V deep-cycle batteries, 900W of solar panel, enclosure,and wiring. You will also receive your shipments first.
Early Bird Special!
Get the EnergyBridge at the early bird price. This kit includes everything you need to take control of the power in your home. You will receive a UL Certified EnergyBridge Inverter, transfer switch, two 12V deep-cycle batteries, 900W of solar panel, enclosure,and wiring. You will also receive your shipments first.Estimated delivery:Only ships to: United States -
Pledge $2,150 or more
1 backer
The EnergyBridge-- This is the kit you're looking for because it includes everything you need to take control of the power in your home. You will receive a UL Certified EnergyBridge Inverter, transfer switch, 2400 Whrs of batteries, 900W of solar panel, enclosure,and wiring. Find more specs on our website: http://www.athenaenergycorp.com/products-page/product-category/energybridge/
The EnergyBridge-- This is the kit you're looking for because it includes everything you need to take control of the power in your home. You will receive a UL Certified EnergyBridge Inverter, transfer switch, 2400 Whrs of batteries, 900W of solar panel, enclosure,and wiring. Find more specs on our website: http://www.athenaenergycorp.com/products-page/product-category/energybridge/
Estimated delivery:Only ships to: United States -
Pledge $2,350 or more
0 backers
Same package as above, but with Web monitoring-- Includes a UL Certified Athena Energy Inverter, transfer switch, 2400 Whrs of batteries, 900W of solar panel, case and wiring included. Added Efergy Web monitoring Unit.
Same package as above, but with Web monitoring-- Includes a UL Certified Athena Energy Inverter, transfer switch, 2400 Whrs of batteries, 900W of solar panel, case and wiring included. Added Efergy Web monitoring Unit.
Estimated delivery:Only ships to: United States
Funding period
- (45 days)
